


Let's tell the truth, just for once

by NinthFeather



Series: Riddle in Reverse [3]
Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Feels, Angst and Humor, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Not suuuper canon to the rest of RiR but I had fun and I think you will too, Specifically a crossover between two different alternate universes, These boys need therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:33:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24492817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NinthFeather/pseuds/NinthFeather
Summary: “I don’t even know why I’m surprised by this kind of thing anymore,” Hakuba said.A story containing dimension-travel shenanigans, too many Kaitos, and a whole lot of distressing revelations.
Relationships: Hakuba Saguru & Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid, Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan & Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid
Series: Riddle in Reverse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/448252
Comments: 4
Kudos: 47





	Let's tell the truth, just for once

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FabHawk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FabHawk/gifts).



> This is a gift for [FabHawk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FabHawk), and it’s extremely indulgent for both of us. She’s been developing a certain Kaito-centric AU, and we’ve tossed around the idea of making a crossover between it and RiR’verse, so she asked me to write this. Needless to say, it got kinda long. 
> 
> Since there’s a lot of characters with the same names here, have a key:  
> Hakuba=RiR!Hakuba  
> Kuroba=RiR!Kuroba  
> Hattori=RiR!Hattori  
> Kaito=V!Kaito  
> Conan=V!Conan. 
> 
> What does the V stand for? Hmmm, guess you’ll have to read on, and then wait for the rest of Hawk’s AU, won’t you?
> 
> Title is from the song [“Death Stranding”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFGq92BYmt4) by CHVRCHES, which is on the updated RiR playlist.
> 
> Just in case you didn’t figure it out, this has _major Riddle in Reverse and Steeplechase spoilers_!

“I don’t even know why I’m surprised by this kind of thing anymore,” Hakuba said.

“Speak for yourself,” said the unfamiliar version of Conan.

With Conan, it was the details that were off—the material his blazer was made of didn’t catch the light the same way, and the frames of his fake glasses were just a touch thinner.

The version of Kaito that was with him, on the other hand, was as different from their Kaito as Hakuba himself was. It wasn’t so much the fact that he was wearing a shop uniform or that his hair was cut differently than Kaito’s. It was the way he held himself.

Hakuba knew he had a tendency, on his worst days, to avoid eye contact and shrink away from people. But he never quite folded in on himself like this version on Kaito. It was…worrying.

“You can’t really be that surprised that magic exists,” this world’s Kaito KID—the person Hakuba typically called Kuroba--argued. “You _literally_ got deaged.”

Conan snorted.

“Give it up, Kudou, there’s three of ‘em now,” Hattori said. “Yer outnumbered.”

Conan and Kaito both gave Hattori a baffled look.

After a few seconds, Kaito ventured, “Three?”

Hattori blinked. “Yeah. You, him, and him,” he said, pointing at Kaito, Kuroba, and Hakuba respectively.

“Why did you point at Hakuba?” Conan asked.

“Because he’s a Kaito?” Hattori said.

“I don’t understand,” Kaito said.

“Hattori, I think perhaps their timeline did _not_ involve time travel,” Hakuba ventured.

“Hold on, _time travel_?” Conan squawked.

“Wait, then, how did you recognize him earlier?” Kuroba asked.

“Because we do have a Hakuba,” Kaito started. “I’ve met him…once?”

“ _Once_ ?” Kaito asked. “ _How_? Even if he isn’t…if he’s still got the last name Hakuba, wouldn’t he at least show up to like, one heist?”

“Heist?” Kaito asked.

“You know, a Kaitou KID heist?” Kuroba prodded.

“Kaitou KID disappeared when I was still a kid,” Kaito said. “What does he have to do with any of this?”

Kuroba gaped. “You don’t _know_.”

“What don’t I know?” Kaito asked, eyes narrowing.

“Our father was Kaitou KID,” Hakuba said. “As were Kuroba- _kun_ and I, after we found his room in the house. What happened, that you—”

He broke off, when he noticed Kaito hyperventilating.

“Look what you did,” Conan snapped. “He doesn’t _live_ in the Kuroba house, you moron.”

“Why not?” Kuroba asked. “Did Mom finally stop paying the mortgage? Did he move in with the Nakamoris?”

Conan was glowering at them, even as he rubbed circles into Kaito’s back.

“Okay, walk us through what happened here?” Hattori said. “None of us meant to hurt the guy, all right? And we’ll apologize, as soon as we can understand what to apologize _for_.”

“He hasn’t seen Kuroba Chikage since he was 10,” Conan hissed. “And, as far as I can tell, he was there when Toichi died.”

Hakuba felt like he couldn’t breathe, even as Kuroba’s jaw dropped.

“Like, in the audience?” Kuroba asked. “ _Sh*t_ , no wonder… but go back to the part where he hasn’t seen Mom in nearly a decade? She’s not the _best_ , always, but she at least videocalls, and she didn’t leave that soon after—”

“ _She_ found him after the performance,” Conan said. “I’m beginning to think things were different, for you.”

Kaito’s breathing was beginning to even out.

“The way ya said ‘ _she_ ’…” Hattori started.

“You might know her as Chris Vineyard,” Conan said cautiously, without looking up.

“ _Vermouth?”_ Hakuba demanded, loud enough to make Kaito flinch.

Somewhere, under the haze of panic, he did feel bad about that.

He lost time, probably. It was the only thing that explained the abrupt shift in topic, the changes in everyone’s postures, and the pack of cards in his hands. Ah, he had good friends.

“But yeah, so then we finally dragged his ungrateful butt back from England and now he has a therapist,” Hattori was saying. “Once it’s safe, you should probably have a therapist too.”

Kaito didn’t seem too keen on the idea, but Conan looked interested.

“First, though, we should probably go talk to the local witch about getting you back to the right world, at least, if that’s something you want,” Kuroba said.

“People would miss Conan if we stayed,” Kaito said quietly.

Hakuba was reminded of himself, so much that it ached. “I think they’d miss you, too. But that’s something you have to work out yourself.”

“Wait,” Conan said. “Local witch?”

**Author's Note:**

> If you're interested in Hawk's AU, she's working on it, so please look forward to it! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
